campaign tactics

Candidate would aim to show another side of his personality

(Newser) -
Mitt Romney has told supporters it's a matter of "weeks, not months" before he decides for sure whether to run for president again —and he "almost certainly will." One thing that's already clear is that a Mitt Romney 2016 campaign would be notably different...
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Governor can't just coast after latest win: Matt Lewis

(Newser) -
Sure, Chris Christie's pugnacity has served him well on the statewide stage—but will it continue to work on the national one? He'd better not assume anything: Winning "fosters hubris and often reinforces the wrong lessons," writes Matt Lewis in the Week . "So far, Christie'...
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Arthur Brooks: Time for conservatives to focus on the needy

(Newser) -
The Republican Party has a serious image problem: Too many Americans think the GOP cares "only about the rich and powerful," writes Arthur Brooks at the Wall Street Journal . Indeed, Mitt Romney's 2012 loss can be linked to a single figure: The fact that as of April,...
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Softer tone as Obama hunkers down, Romney cancels stops

(Newser) -
Unlike much of the East Coast, the presidential campaign hasn't been shut down by Hurricane Sandy. But the dynamics of the race have changed significantly, with President Obama in crisis mode in Washington and Mitt Romney canceling events "out of sensitivity for the millions of Americans in the...
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State in spotlight as race tightens

(Newser) -
Just two weeks ago, Mitt Romney advisers were talking about ways to win the election without winning Ohio—a state every Republican president has carried. Now, with 28 days left to campaign and the incumbent floundering , Romney is doubling down on efforts in the state, seeking a path to victory...
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Foreign policy speech, debate ads aim to keep momentum going

(Newser) -
After a strong debate performance, Mitt Romney is ramping up what Politico calls the Romney Reinvention Project. "One night doesn’t transform the race, but the next three to five days can," says a campaign rep. "We just have to stick to our plan and not chase...
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Obama backers outspend Mitt in key states

(Newser) -
Mitt Romney and the Republicans have made plenty of big fundraising headlines over the summer—but with restrictions on political cash, Romney's already facing some financial hurdles . The indebted campaign is holding back on advertising spending at a time when the candidate may sorely need it. President Obama and...
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Aides call Stevens flighty, say he dumped Mitt's RNC speech

(Newser) -
Mitt Romney's top strategist goes under the microscope this morning in a lengthy Politico piece, in which insiders dish on a flighty and unpredictable Stuart Stevens, depicting him as a "tortured artist" who many don't much care for. Case in point: Stevens ditched Romney's original convention...
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Defends president's Medicare record

(Newser) -
A new ad from the Obama campaign slams his opponents on Medicare—but it barely mentions Mitt Romney. The ad, called "Facts," defends the president against Team Romney's claims that ObamaCare guts the program to the tune of $700 billion. Meanwhile, it attacks the GOP vision for...
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Dana Milbank: GOP cries foul as own tactics are used against it

(Newser) -
Yes, this campaign has been an "ugly" one, as Republicans have carped about of late. But it's been this ugly before: Remember John Kerry's "Swift Boating" and Obama "palling around with terrorists?" The difference is that now "Democrats are employing the same harsh tactics...
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Ratchets up attacks in Ohio

(Newser) -
At a campaign stop in Ohio last night, Mitt Romney turned up the heat on President Obama. Reflecting on Joe Biden's "chains" remark in Virginia, Romney told 5,000 listeners, "This is what an angry and desperate presidency looks like." He went on to call Obama'...
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(Newser) -
Looking at the stark figures, you'd think Mitt Romney would be cruising in this election: The unemployment rate has been higher than 8% for a record 42 months, six in 10 Americans think the US is moving in the wrong direction, and 41% strongly disapprove of President Obama's...
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And that may not be a good thing

(Newser) -
The Obama campaign shelled out around $400 million between the beginning of 2011 and June 30 of this year, more than any incumbent in recent history has spent in such a short span, shows a New York Times analysis of Federal Election Commission records. In June alone, Obama spent a...
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(Newser) -
Mitt Romney is apparently looking to turn a President Obama comment from last week—"If you've got a business, you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen"—into a campaign theme. Romney says the comment, which the Republican candidate has focused on for three straight...
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He often gives stump speeches without it, notes the Hill

(Newser) -
In his latest appearances, President Obama has left behind a trusted friend: his teleprompter. The speechmaking tool has been absent during speeches in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia, and the change is clear as the president refers to written notes rather than gazing left and right, writes Amie Parnes at the...
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Campaign to point to favoritism among donors

(Newser) -
With political chatter centered on Mitt Romney's Bain record , the candidate is ready to fight back: "We're turning the page," says an adviser. So get ready for a new offensive, dubbed "Obama's Political Payoffs and Middle-Class Layoffs." The Romney tactic aims to demonstrate...
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Business dealings amount to 'legitimate question': GOP rep

(Newser) -
President Obama has some unlikely new allies in his effort to get Mitt Romney to release his tax returns. Members of Romney's own party, from Haley Barbour to Michael Steele, are calling on the candidate for financial disclosure. "His personal finances, the way he does things, his record,...
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Early choice would double campaigning power

(Newser) -
Mitt Romney may give his campaign a boost by naming a running mate much earlier than usual. Naming his pick now, weeks ahead of the convention, would allow the Romney campaign to open up a new front against President Obama, with two people on the stump and raising money instead...
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But a few worry strategy could hurt among independents

(Newser) -
Some Democratic leaders may have their doubts about President Obama's attacks on Bain Capital —but most give the message the thumbs up and want him to keep at it. Mitt Romney "wanted to have this conversation," Pennsylvania's Democratic chair tells the Washington Post , which has...
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Newark mayor quickly gets over 'nauseating' Obama ads on Bain

(Newser) -
New Democrat darling Cory Booker made headlines yesterday when he hammered President Obama's ads attacking Bain Capital as "nauseating," and it didn't take long for him to make a sudden recovery. Hours after his comments, Booker posted a YouTube video clarifying his position. "Let me...
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